‘Sonicsgate’ documentary airs Friday night, Sunday night on CNBC

The acclaimed documentary about the years-long controversy and eventual departure of the Seattle SuperSonics will be air nationally on CNBC at 7 p.m. Friday and at 7 p.m. Sunday. For the broadcast, “Sonicsgate” has been re-cut and brought up to date, now that we’re four years separated from the Sonics’ relocation to Oklahoma City in 2008.

Fimmakers Jason Reid and Adam Brown updated the film with new photos, footage and evidence, and have added interviews with Sonics legend Shawn Kemp and Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament. After the documentary’s initial release directly to the Web in 2009, “Sonicsgate” was named the “Most Persuasive Grassroots Flick of 2009″ by Sports Illustrated and won the 2010 Webby Award for best sports film.

“Sonicsgate” examines “how a perfect storm of corporate greed and political impotence caused Seattle’s 41-year NBA team to be ripped away in 2008,” as the filmmakers put it. The film includes interviews with such local figures as Sonics star Gary Payton, writer Sherman Alexie and broadcaster Kevin Calabro.

You can, right now, watch the two-hour director’s cut of “Sonicsgate” in its entirety on YouTube and Vimeo via Sonicsgate.com. The re-cut version on CNBC will be available to buy on DVD at 7 p.m. Friday.